These videos will provide you with some basic background to help you, in partnership with your doctor, to prevent heart disease, improve your cardiovascular health and give you a basic understanding of some standard tests and procedures your doctor may want to perform to help determine your cardiac health.
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HDL – the good cholesterol. HDL particles are not depositing cholesterol in your arteries, but rather are removing it from your system, so the higher your HDL cholesterol the better.
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LDL- the bad cholesterol. LDL is the cholesterol that gums up your arteries and causes the buildup of blockages. It's also the cholesterol that is toxic to the lining of your arteries, increasing your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
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Triglycerides are one of the particles that transport fat around the body. Compared to LDL and HDL, the relative contribution of triglycerides to the development of heart disease has been less clear.
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Hypertension is a major contributor to heart disease, and the number one preventable cause of heart failure.
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Tobacco use remains the single most preventable cause of death, especially as it relates to heart disease. Estimates are that smoking directly causes 400,000 deaths in the United States per year. Quitting smoking can result in rapid, dramatic changes.
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Family history can be such an important predictive factor for your own health, so it is imperative that you take the time to find out as much as you can about the health of your blood relatives.
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There are good fats and bad fats, and moderation is still key. Choose smart fat, not low fat.
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An echocardiogram is a painless, harmless test that uses high frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to examine the heart’s anatomy and function |
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Stress Nuclear Study
A cardiac (heart) nuclear study is a test that uses a small dose of radioactive solution to track blood flow to the heart muscle, and to evaluate heart function.
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Cardiac MRI
A cardiac MRI (CMR) test is an evaluation of your heart using a specialized MRI camera. The test provides a very accurate assessment of your heart's structure and function, as well as an evaluation of the status of the major blood vessels within your chest.
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Adenosine Stress Test
Stress testing provides your doctor with information about how your heart works during physical stress. During an Adenosine stress test, you are given a medicine to make your heart work harder while heart tests are performed.
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Dobutamine Stress Echocardiogram
Dobutamine echocardiogram is a painless, harmless test that uses a dobutamine infusion to mimic the effect of exercise on your heart. |
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Dobutamine Stress Nuclear Study
This test uses a small dose of radioactive solution to track heart function while using a dobutamine infusion to mimic the effect of exercise on your heart.
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HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released “Staying Active and Healthy with Blood Thinners,” a free bilingual 10-minute video in English and Spanish. This video helps educate patients about how to use anticoagulant drugs, commonly called “blood thinners,” safely.
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